First published in 2012, Home, written by Pulitzer-Prize-winning novelist Toni Morrison, tells the story of Frank Money, a 24-year-old black Korean War veteran who is summoned to Atlanta, Georgia, to rescue his sister, Cee. He receives a note that reads “‘Come fast. She be dead if you tarry’” from an unknown woman. The main story of the novel begins with Frank’s escape from a hospital’s mental health ward. He was put in the ward because, on his way to visit Cee, he lapsed into erratic behavior and was discovered by the police. Frank’s ambitious ex-girlfriend, Lily, assumes that Frank suffers from bouts of insanity and cannot hold down a job because he is traumatized by memories of the Korean War. Preferring to have control over her life and apartment, Lily is relieved when Frank leaves her to find his sister. The third-person narrator’s story of Frank’s journey to find Cee is interspersed with Frank’s own shorter first-person narrative of his life experiences and his thoughts on the narrator’s endeavor. Frank spent his childhood with Cee in the backward town of Lotus, Georgia. The children of indifferent parents, Frank and Cee are despised by their step-grandmother, Lenore, who mistreats them. Meanwhile, sheltered by Frank since childhood, Cee does not build up any defenses of her own. Once Frank enlists in the army and leaves Lotus, Cee falls for Principal (or “Prince,” as he calls himself), a man from out of town who marries her and carries her off to Atlanta in the family Ford. After barely a month of marriage, Principal runs off with the car, leaving Cee to fend for herself in Atlanta. When Cee needs more money than her kitchen job can provide, she finds a job as the assistant of a Dr. Beauregard Scott. On his long journey to Georgia, Frank remembers his adolescent restlessness in Lotus, his excitement about fighting in Korea, and the brutal deaths of his best buddies, Mike and Stuff. Most disturbingly, he remembers the way a guard shot a Korean child in the face after he was tempted by the way she stroked his crotch. When Frank arrives in Atlanta, he rescues Cee from Dr. Beauregard’s house. Frank takes Cee to Miss Ethel Fordham’s house back in Lotus to be cured. Miss Ethel and the neighborhood women banish Frank from the house while they subject Cee to their tough-loving home cures. Cee is nursed back to health and absorbs some of her healers’ common sense and hardiness. When Cee has visions of a smiling girl-child who needs a mother, Frank is provoked to confess to the narrator that he is the soldier tempted by the little Korean girl and the one who shot her in the face. Both Frank and Cee grow stronger by facing the uncomfortable truth. The story ends with the two of them visiting a childhood haunt to dig up the body of a man killed in the human equivalent of a dogfight and bury him in a coffin made from Cee’s homemade quilt. When they feel they have made their retributions, they can return home to Lotus, a place where they finally feel they belong. This book contains violence, sexual exploitation, and psychological trauma.

Toni Morrison's Home garners acclaim for its lyrical prose and profound exploration of trauma, identity, and redemption. Critics praise the novel's emotional depth and Morrison's masterful storytelling. However, some feel the narrative's brevity limits character development and plot complexity. Overall, Home is celebrated for its powerful themes and literary elegance.

Home by Toni Morrison will captivate readers who appreciate complex characters and intense, emotional narratives. Fans of Beloved by Toni Morrison and The Color Purple by Alice Walker will be drawn to its exploration of racial identity, trauma, and redemption, set against the backdrop of mid-20th-century America.

Melancholic / Mysterious / Contemplative / Dark / Gritty

- Home by Toni Morrison was published in 2012 and showcases Morrison's signature style of narrative combining historical context with personal stories, winning praise for its deep emotional resonance and exploration of identity.
- The title, Home, reflects Morrison’s exploration of the themes of familial bonds and the notion of belonging, set against the backdrop of 1950s America.
- Toni Morrison, already a Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, was inspired to write Home in part by the stories about the Korean War era veterans and the societal issues they faced upon returning to the United States.

**Frank Money**  
A 24-year-old black man from Lotus, Georgia, who travels across the country while dealing with the burden of maintaining appearances, his past war experiences, and his protective instincts toward his sister, Cee.

**Cee (Ycidra) Money**  
Frank's younger sister, born during the family's relocation from Texas to Georgia, who navigates a sheltered upbringing and learns to stand up for herself after being influenced by untrustworthy individuals.

**Lenore Money**  
Frank and Cee's step-grandmother, known for her harsh and intimidating demeanor, who impacts Cee's self-worth while struggling with her own feelings of isolation.

**Salem Money**  
Frank and Cee's paternal grandfather, a passive and opportunistic man reliant on his wife's resources, who is indifferent to the mistreatment of his grandchildren.

**Lily (Lillian Florence Jones)**  
Frank's girlfriend after the war, an industrious and stylish woman with ambitious goals for homeownership, who finds herself conflicted by Frank's lack of direction.

**Dr. Beauregard Scott**  
A private doctor in Atlanta who specializes in women's issues, with questionable motives and interests, leading to dangerous outcomes for those under his care.

**Prince (Principal)**  
A charming yet enigmatic newcomer to Lotus, who marries Cee and then abandons her, revealing his true character through his self-serving actions.

**Sarah Williams**  
The housekeeper for Dr. Beauregard, who supports and befriends Cee and ultimately takes a brave step to alert Frank to his sister's peril.

**The Little Korean Girl**  
A haunting figure from Frank's wartime past, representing innocence and poverty, who evokes complex emotions and memories in him. 

**Luther and Ida Money**  
The hardworking but emotionally distant parents of Frank and Cee, who leave their children largely in the care of others due to their ongoing labor demands.

**Miss Ethel Fordham**  
A no-nonsense, pious woman from Lotus who, along with her community, offers wisdom and practical care to those in need, including Cee.

Toni Morrison

Adult

Novel

Fiction

Guide

Study Guide

Before You Read

Explore Home reviews, reading age recommendations, and essential genre and thematic details before you start reading.

Before You Read Home | SuperSummary

title

content

Overview

Get ready to explore Home and its meaning. Our full analysis and study guide provides an even deeper dive with character analysis and quotes explained to help you discover the complexity and beauty of this book.

Home

Before You Read

Reviews & Readership

Review Roundup

Who Should Read Home?

Reading Age

Book Details